SELBY, N ... btb Norman SMEDDLE


No.4881, Private, Norman SMEDDLE
Aged 18


1st/6th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
formerly No. 3327
Died of Disease on Thursday, 7th September 1916


This man is believed to have been Norman SMEDDLE..conflict in birthplace ("Soldiers Died" has Devon). Medal returned by N of Kin.

Norman SMEDDLE was born at 6 Nottingham Terrace, Marylebone (Marylebone Qtr 2 - 1a:567), on 8th May , mother Julia Meinda SMEDDLE, of no occupaton, no father's name recorded. Informant Jula S Slater of 3 Osnaburgh St, Pancras who may have been from the St Saviour's Hospital for Ladies of Limited Means.

1901 census...not found in this census.

1911 census...Aged 12, scholar, he was a boarder at Old Hall Lane with Agnes GOLDING [58], widow of Joseph (née PEACOCK); boarder Florence JAMES [58] widow; boarder Edith Emma ROBERTS [43] single; servant Dora BOUD [19] single.


He enlisted in Newton Abbot, whilst resident in Bury St.Edmunds (from "Soldiers Died", which gives his birth place as Newton Abbot but no such birth registration has been found). His "Soldier's personal effects" entry give Agnes Golding as legatee. One pension card has Agnes as his mother.

He was in Egypt by 5th September 1915. This suggests he was with the 2nd/5th battalion at that time and then transferred to the 6th battalion.


To muddy the water still further he has 2 "Soldiers Personal Effects" entriees, one gives his death as in Basra, the other that he died of disease. The war diary has very little to say. The Battalon was employed on defensive duties and digging a redoubt for the first 2 weeks of September 1916 at Dujullah.

Disease accounted for more deaths than enemy action at the time in Mesopotamia




Norman Smeddle is buried in Amara War Cemtery, Iraq. 14:A:35

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details

click here to find more details on Amara War Cemetery

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